Henkel to acquire US sealing specialist Seal for Life

Dusseldorf, Germany – Henkel AG has signed an agreement to acquire US-based Seal for Life Industries LLC from investment fund Arsenal Capital Partners.

Seal for Life is a supplier of protective coating and sealing solutions in a range of infrastructure markets such as renewable energy, oil & gas, and water, Henkel announced 15 Feb.

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas and with global operations, the company generated sales of €250 million in 2023.

The company employs more than 650 people and manufactures coating and sealing products.

These include as heat-shrink sleeves, visco-elastic coatings, epoxy & urethane coatings, fire protection, insulation and sound dampening coatings.

The company is claimed to be “a pioneer” in the protection and retrofitting of customer infrastructure, including pipelines and piles.

According to Henkel, demand for solutions that enable the extension of asset life of infrastructure is growing, driven by aging infrastructure and an increasing relevance of sustainability.

Seal for Life provides “innovative coating and sealing solutions for both existing and new build infrastructure assets”, Henkel explained.

With the purchase, the German group expects to add “attractive technologies to its growing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) platform.”

“Seal for Life offers an attractive and highly profitable portfolio in protective coating and sealing," said CEO Carsten Knobel.

The unit also complements Henkel's existing MRO platform and unlocks growth potential for the group's adhesive technologies business.

“MRO is a strategic growth market for us," explained Mark Dorn, EVP and responsible for Henkel’s adhesive technologies business.

The business, he said, offers solutions that help protect, retrofit and monitor infrastructure under digitally-enabled condition.

In addition to MRO growth, the purchase will also enable access to sustainability-driven, future-oriented markets such as renewable energy and water supply, Dorn added.